Package for dry goods, and method and apparatus for making the same



A. J. BROOKS Dec. 14, 1937.

PACKAGE FOR DRY GOODS AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME I Filed April 29, 1935 y 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

LFRED J 1311001@` 'ATTORNEYS A. J. BRooKs Dec. 14, 1937.

PACKAGE FOR DRY- GOODS AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1935 INVENTOR. ALFRED J zwofsns ATTORNEYS .UNITED sTATEs PATENT ori-ice e 2,102,508 PACKAGE Fon DRY GooDs, AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR l. SAME MAKING THE AlfredvJ. BrookaJamaica Plain, Mass., `Application April Z9, 1935, Serial No. 18,718

' 6 ciaims. (o1. 226-18) This invention relates to packages and particularly to a type of package for use by laundries,v

dry cleaners and similar establishments, though it will be understood as the description proceeds 'l that this type of package is'l eminently adapted easily assembled and relatively less expensive f than the ordinary type of jcardboard containerV now in general use for thesame or similar purposes. e f

Another object is to transform the conventional type of paper bag into va rigid container for dry goods and other materialsthat must be pro-- tected from crushing.

Another object is to provide a relatively simple method for wrapping or packaging dry goods-and analogous materials.

Still ano-ther object is to provide a method of the foregoing type lwhich is exceedingly flexible in that it issuitable vfor wrapping or packaging vario-us quantities of different sized yarticles and for producing packages of different shapes and sizes.

- The essence of the invention which renders the foregoing objects possible of accomplishment resides in providing two end blanks and a paper tube or bag, the two end blanks being'adapted to be disposed in spaced relation to receive between-them the goods Yto be packaged and then to be inserted with the goods into the tube or bag, the tube or bag being finally closed and sealed Vto complete the package.

further object is to `provide' a device of relatively simpleconstruction for facilitating the operations whichv constitute the steps of the foregoing method. l Y

'f Another object is tof provide `a device of the foregoing typewhich isf suitable for .wrapping or packaging various quantities of different sized articles and for producing packages of diiferent shapes and sizes. 1`

The essence of the invention which renders the foregoing two objects possible of accomplishment resides in providinga U-shaped trough for supporting in spaced relation the two end blanks which are to form component parts of the packaging combination. Positive means may beprovided for holding the blanks against unintentional displacement at any desired relative'positions within the limits of the trough,

Referring briefly to thedrawings, A

,i Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the first step in my process; namely, positioning the end blanks on a fiat surface to receive between them the articles to be wrapped or packaged;

Figure 2 is a similar View illustrating the second step in the process; namely, placing the articles between the end blanks;

Figure 3 is a similar View illustrating the third step in the process; namely, slipping the wrapper or bag over the end blanks from one end.

Figure i is a similar view, partly broken away, illustrating a subsequent step in the process; namely,'closing and sealing the package;

Figure 5 is a perspective view, partly broken away, `of a preferred form of device by means of which I may carry out the steps of the process; the end blanks beingi shown in position to receive between them the articles to be wrapped or packaged; and y Figure 6 is a cross-section taken along line 6 6 of Figure 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the bag being shown as it is slipped 'over the end blanks in theV third step of the process. e

Referring to the drawings in greater detail and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4 thereof, the reference lettters A and B represent the two end blanks andthe letter C designates the paper bag or tube which form essential parts of the novel packaging combination. Each of the end blanks is U-shaped in cross-section, the legs being denoted by i and 2 and the yoke by 3. The end blanks may be formed in any suitable manner from a material having the requisite rigidity or stiffness to effectively cooperate with the bag C to form the self-sustaining package of Figure 4. The'end Vblanks Vmay advantageously be made from strips of double-faced corrugated paperboard, scored and bent along the lines 4 and 5. The corrugations are shown as being parallel to vthelength of :the blanks, but they may be disposed at right angles thereto. A reenforcing strip (not shown) may be applied to the corners, if thought necessary or desirable. v

f vThe element C of my packaging combination is illustrated as being a paper bag, having the closed end S and the open end 1, though it will be understood that a paper `tube open at both ends is well adapted for use inY my invention. I prefer to utilize a bag of the so-called automatic or self-opening type, -as its use'greatly simplies'the setting up of the container. Furthermore,` this Vtype of bag gives a smoother back to package is stronger than abox at :the corners Y Where thepackage'd articles are mostlikely to be' the use of any other type of bag from the spirit of my invention. The bag may be made of paper of any desiredgrade, weight, thickness orply, and may be printed.

Having described the'essential elements of thecombination embodying the invention, I shall now describe the manner in which the'elernents areY assembled and utilized. VThe two end Ablanks A and B areplaced on edge on a flat surfacesuch as a table toprT, the corresponding' legs being in alinement and' extending towardeach other, the Y distancebetween the yckes being somewhat greater than the length of the desired package. This step is illustratedxin Figure l. Y Figure 2 the articles S to bewrapped or packaged are inserted between the blanks. The articles are Y shown as being shirts, but any other dry goods The next may be wrapped in the same manner. step (see Figure 3) consists in slipping the opened bag orV tub-e C over the blanks from one end. v'Ihe articles and the blanks may be readily inserted into the bag by` applying pressure against Ythe blank A. The nal'steps or. operations are illus-V trated in Figure 4. The bag is stood on its closed end; the assembled blanks and articles are pushed toward the bottom oi the bag to seatthe lower end blank B in the very bottom of the ba'gj the open end 1l of the bag is folded over the upper end blank A and sealed in anysuitable or well known manner. Asshown in Figure 4, I prefer to employ azgumrned tape t for the purpose, though I may Y use a string and button arrangement ora gummed i 40' set up than the ordinary type'of folding box. It is less :expensive than afolding or rigid box of sirnilar'cubicalY capacity. VThe parts canbe YstoredY nat, hence requiring lessv room than Yboxes for storage, especially since the two end blanks are of V exactly similarV construction. VThe VVassembled subjected to crushing. Furthermore, the air entrapped with the sealedcontents forms a cushion Y so that the paperbag cannot Vbe easily punctured.

Hence, it is not atrall necessary to use stiffeningV or reenforcing VmeansY at the top and bottom of the bag andthe packagecan be handled in e'X- actly thesame manner as afbox. A large number.

of packages maybe stacked one above theother without crushingthenarticles in the lower pack-` ages. Another advantage of the new package is that it can be unpacked with great ease, and *theV bag'and the end blanks can be very easily disposedof after they have served their intended'purpose'.V

It 4will be understoodrfrom the foregoing" description that thedimensions of theV end blanksand of the bag or tube may be varied within wide limits Adepending upon the size and shape of the desired package. The length of tlflebagV may bel varied `by Varying thefdistance between the end blanks; its width may be Vvaried by varying theVV length of the yoke 3 .(i.'e. the'distancebetweentthe legs of the blank) and its'breadth may be'varied by varyingthe Ywidth of the. end blank.' Y'Ifo btain i the most satisfactory results the bag should be about 1741" widerthanthatof the end fblank.-

As has beenpointed out the stepsor operationsA of'my new'process maybe carried out on'a at.

surfacesuch as atable without jthe'useof any Then a's Yindica'ted'in;

base. This slot servesapurpose to ofthe nal package. Y I YAfter'the blanks are properly positioned, sufficient Varticlesare stacked betweenV them to reach mechanical devices. The operations maybe carried out very expeditiously'by means of the device illustrated Yin Figures 5 and 6. Y Y

Referring to these:V figures, the device consists essentiallyof aU-shaped trough Il), its side walls being'indicated by I IV and VI2 and'itsV bottom or floor by I3. The trough may be of any suitable material such as metal and itsoor or bottom I3 may terminate at its forward end in a forwardly extending lip I4 to serve a purpose to be hereinafter pointed out. Secured tothe side walls I I and I2 near their forward ends vin Yany suitable manner as by soldering arethe two narrow bladesl and I6, the sharp edges of which point to the forwardV end rrof. the trough and terminate vshort of the forward'ends' of the side walls. The

blades'are preferably disposed at a slight downward angleand are spaced a short distance from V the walls. allfor reasons to be hereinafter pointed out.`Y Y The' reference Ynumerals I'I Aand IB designate two end stopsrnountednear the rear end ofthe Y trough, Each stop 'consists Vof a narrow blank of metal bent at right angles to forinthe two arms I 9 and 20. The horizontal arm 2Iljis provided with' A the elongated slot 2I Ywhich receives, thesrew 22 A which serves toadjustably secure the stop to the bottom of the trough. The vertical arms I9 of the two stcpsserve as .gui'des Vfor the one of the end blanks.

The trough Ill is preferably mounted on abase 0 1. Support 23 tv w'rlih it may be secured by means positioning" of of fthe screws 2li. The'b'ase V23'which may be of Vwood or other suitable material-has a rectangular raisedV p ortion 2 5 andV aV lower Vportion 2li,V the trough Y.I0 being secured at its rear end-to the raised portion. There is thus provided a slot 2l between themajor portion of the trough and theY be hereinafter brought out.

iTo use the'devicethe end stops ITI and JI 8 are Vproperly adjusted forl the size packageto lbernade and the end blank A Vis placed against the stops asV indicated. Then the .end'blank--B is placed in position. A suitable way of positioning this blank Yis to press the free end of each leg against the corresponding blade I5 orA I5, so `that'rthe blade enters a corrugation.. Since Ythe blades are inclined downwardly, thelower edge ofthe legs will ride up andfbe raised above the floor of the trough. This preventsY the lower Vcorners from jamming against the trough and facilitates the subsequent step of inserting'the blanks andtheV articles into the bag.V The bladesare of resilient niaterialand as has been previouslyjstated are spaced from the walls to whichthey are attachedgV Hence 'they Y rrnly clamp thejlegs of the end blanks against the walls. j If desired spring clips with or without sharp edges may be substitutedforthe blades, inY

which case theentire thicknessV ofi the blanks Would'be clampedlbetween the clips Aand the walls.v The spacingofthefend blanksshouldjbe suicient to permit the articles tope inserted in' substantially flat condition.` As shown in Figure 6 the space may beas much as v20% greater than the length substantially to the Ytop4 of the blanks, andVV the bag-C is slippedrover the troughV II) and its con` tents from the free end of the trough (seeFigure 6); This'operation is rendered possible by the provision 'of theV slot Y2 'I between the trough and thebase 23 and is greatly 'facilitated by the lip I4.

This lipprojecting as it does Vbeyond the side Walls vlegs in alinement and extending toward each H and l2 engages the lower margin of the open mouth of the bag and serves to guide the bag as it is gradually drawn over the forward end of the trough. In this way it is rendered possible to slip the bag into position without the exercise of great care or skill and without the danger of tearing the bag. It is to be noted in this connection that the upper front corners oi the walls Il and I2 are rounded off and the front ends of the walls taper o into the horizontal lip.

The next step consists in pushing the blank A toward the front end of the trough. This operation moves the articles until they 'contact the blank B, thereafter further pressure on the blank A moves the two blanks and the interposed articles toward the bottom of the bag and causes the legs of the blank B to be released from the blades l5 and i6. Then the entire assembly, bag and all, may be removed from the device and stood up on the closed end of the bag. Finally the open end of the bag is closed and sealed in the manner previously described.

Y I am aware that packages have been proposed consisting of a frame completely enclosing the articles to be packaged and the container, but my package and method of constructing the same are distinct therefrom in that I employ blanks for the supporting medium which do not completely surround the articles and which areY thus more economical in material and manufacture, easier to store and handle, and provide a simpler and more effective way of accomplishing the desired result.

The foregoing specification and description include the essential and distinctive thought of my invention, but it is to be distinctly understood that the same may be modied in various ways and/or combined with various other ldetails .without aiecting the peculiar results obtained and without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims, in which I intend to claim all the patentable novelty inherent in my invention.

. I claim:-

1. A method of making a packageA from a preformed paper tube and two 'U -shaped blanks, consisting of the steps of placing the blanks on edge on a horizontal surface with their corresponding other and leaving an open space between said legs, inserting the articles `to be wrapped within the space between the two blanks, inserting the assembly of blanks and articles within the paper tube and iinally sealing the tube. y Y

2. A method of making a package from a preformed paper bag and two U-shaped blanks, consisting of the steps of placing the blanks on edge on a horizontal surface with their corresponding legs in alinement and extending toward each other and leaving an open space between said legs, inserting the articles to bel wrapped within` the space between the two blanks, slipping the open bag over the blanks from one end, pushing the assembly of blanks and articles to the bottom of the bag and nally closing and sealing the open end of the bag.

3. A method of making apackage from a wrapper and two U-shaped blanks, consisting of the steps of placing the blanks on edge on a horizontal surface with their corresponding legs in alinement and extending toward each other and leaving an open space between said legs, inserting the articles to be wrapped within the space between the two blanks and applying a wrapper about said assembly oi blanks and articles.

4. A device for use in wrapping or packaging dry goods, said vdevice consisting of a U-shaped trough, an adjustable stopv secured near one end of said trough whereby a U-shaped blank may be positioned on its `edge within the trough with its yoke against the stop and its legs extending toward the middle of the trough, and clamping means disposed at the other end of the trough to hold a second U-shaped blank in opposite relation to the rst blank.

5. A device as deiined in claim 4, said clamping means consisting of a thin, sharp blade secured to each of the side walls of the trough whereby the legs of the U-shaped blank may be impaled thereon.

6. A device as defined in claim 4, one end. of said trough being secured to a raised support, the other end of the trough being free so that a bag o-r tube may be slipped over the trough from the free end thereof.

ALFRED J. BROOKS. 

